Wear Assembly

ABSTRACT

A wear assembly for excavating equipment which includes a wear member and a base each with upper and lower stabilizing surfaces that are offset and at overlapping depths to reduce the overall depth of the assembly while maintaining high strength and a stable coupling. The nose and socket each includes a generally triangular-shaped front stabilizing end to provide a highly stable front connection between the nose and wear member for both vertical and side loading. The lock is movable between hold and release positions to accommodate replacing of the wear member when needed, and secured to the wear member for shipping and storage purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to a wear assembly for securing a wearmember to excavating equipment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wear parts are commonly attached to excavating equipment, such asexcavating buckets or cutterheads, to protect the equipment from wearand to enhance the digging operation. The wear parts may includeexcavating teeth, shrouds, etc. Such wear parts typically include abase, a wear member, and a lock to releasably hold the wear member tothe base.

In regard to excavating teeth, the base includes a forwardly projectingnose for supporting the wear member. The base may be formed as anintegral part of the digging edge or may be formed as one or moreadapters that are fixed to the digging edge by welding or mechanicalattachment. The wear member is a point which fits over the nose. Thepoint narrows to a front digging edge for penetrating and breaking upthe ground. The assembled nose and point cooperatively define an openinginto which the lock is received to releasably hold the point to thenose.

Such wear members are commonly subjected to harsh conditions and heavyloading. Accordingly, the wear members wear out over a period of timeand need to be replaced. Many designs have been developed in an effortto enhance the strength, stability, durability, penetration, safety,and/or ease of replacement of such wear members with varying degrees ofsuccess.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to an improved wear assembly for securingwear members to excavating equipment for enhanced stability, strength,durability, penetration, safety, and ease of replacement.

In one aspect of the invention, the nose and socket are each providedwith offset upper and lower stabilizing surfaces to provide a stable butstreamlined design that provides higher strength, better penetration,and an improved flow of material into the excavator as compared toconventional teeth.

In another aspect of the invention, front and rear stabilizing surfacesof the nose and socket are each inclined to resist loads on the wearmember with vertical components (herein called vertical loads) and sidecomponents (herein called side loads). In addition, shifting loads canbe better resisted by such inclined surfaces with less relative motionbetween the nose and the socket for greater stability and less wear. Inone preferred construction, the nose and socket have V-shaped rearstabilizing surfaces and inverted V-shaped front stabilizing surfaces.

In one other aspect of the invention, stabilizing shoulders formedintegrally with the body of the wear member bear against complementarysupports on the nose to increase stability and strength of the assembly.The shoulders are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of thenose to form a highly stable formation that resists vertically appliedloads on the wear member. Unlike ears that project rearward from thebody of the wear member, the shoulders are backed by the body of thewear member for additional strength. The use of shoulders also requiresless metal than ears.

In another aspect of the invention, the nose and socket each includes afirst faceted shape at the front end that transitions into a secondincreased-faceted shape and preferably, also into a thirdincreased-faceted shape at the rear ends. In one preferred example, thefront ends of the nose and socket are each formed generally as atriangle that transitions into a hexagonal shape, which, in turn,transitions into an octagonal shape at the rear end. The use of suchshape changing formations enables the use of a slender wear assembly forgood penetration while maintaining high strength characteristics andside stability.

In another aspect of the invention, the body of the nose andcomplementary main portion of the socket each includes upper and lowerportions. Each of the upper and lower portions have a central facet anda pair of side facets that each extend out an inclination to thecorresponding central facets. To achieve the desired stabilization,strength and slimmer profile, the upper and lower portions areasymmetrical such that the upper central facet has an expanding width ina rearward direction, wherein the lower central facet has a narrowingwidth in a rearward direction.

In another aspect of the invention, the front ends of the nose andsocket are each formed with sidewalls that are inclined inward in theupward direction to minimize the lateral projection of the uppercorners. The use of such inclined sidewalls at the front ends reducesthe outer profile of the assembly for better penetration of the ground.By moving the upper corners inward, the risk of break through (i.e., theformation of holes passing into the socket) is also reduced, thus,lengthening the useable life of the wear member. The use of inclinedstabilizing surfaces along the sidewalls further reduces wear asvertical and side loads are both resisted by the same surfaces.

In one preferred embodiment, the nose and socket each includes agenerally triangular-shaped front stabilizing end. In one example, thetriangular stabilizing end is formed by a generally horizontal lowersurface and an inverted V-shaped upper surface. As discussed above, thisconstruction enhances penetration, increases the useable life of thewear member by minimizing the risk of break-through and resists bothside and vertical loads with the same surfaces.

In a further aspect of the invention, the nose includes an upperconverging wall and a lower converging wall to have the common wedgeshape as a compromise of strength and penetration. However, as opposedto prior constructions, the upper wall continues converging toward thelower wall through the front end for enhanced penetration whilecontinuing to provide the desired stabilization.

In one other aspect of the invention, the lock is integrally secured tothe wear member for shipping and storage as a single integral component.The lock is maintained within the lock opening irrespective of theinsertion of the nose into the cavity, which results in less shippingcosts, reduced storage needs, and less inventory concerns.

In another aspect of the invention, the lock is releasably securable inthe lock opening in the wear member in both hold and release positionsto reduce the risk of dropping or losing the lock during installation.Such an assembly involves fewer independent components and an easierinstallation procedure.

In a further aspect of the invention, the lock and wear member can bemaintained as a single integral component through shipping, storage,installation and use through an easily movable system without relianceon threaded members. This arrangement enables improved part managementand easier installation of the wear member with less risk of losing thelock.

In another aspect of the invention, the lock is swung about an axis thatextends generally longitudinally for easy use and stability. In the holdposition, the lock fits within a cavity defined in a sidewall of thenose, which avoids the conventional through-hole and provides increasednose strength. Moreover, the sides of the lock form a secure and stablelocking arrangement without substantial loading of the hinge or latchportions of the lock. In addition, the lock is operable without a hammerfor ease of use and enhanced safety.

In another aspect of the invention, the lock is formed with a pivotsupport and a biasing member to permit not only pivotal movement of thelock between hold and release positions, but also a shifting movement topermit latching in the hold position and/or release positions. In onepreferred embodiment of the invention, the lock body defines at leastone pry slot whereby a pry tool can securely engage the lock to shiftand pivot the lock for easy installation and removal.

In another aspect of the invention, the lock is provided with a latchformation which includes a centrally positional formation to be used torelease the lock from the lock position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wear assembly in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the wear assembly.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wear assembly vertically takenalong the longitudinal axis.

FIG. 4 is an upper perspective view of a base of the wear assembly.

FIG. 5 is a lower perspective view of the nose of the base.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the nose.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the base.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the nose.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the base.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the base taken along such sectionline 10-10 in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the base taken along such sectionline 11-11 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a wear member of the wear assembly.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the part of the wear member within thecircle c in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a rear view of the wear member.

FIG. 15 is a side view of the wear member.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 16-16 in FIG.14.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 17-17 in FIG.14.

FIGS. 18 and 19 are each a perspective view of a lock for the wearassembly.

FIG. 20 is a front view of the lock.

FIG. 21 is a side view of the lock.

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22-22 in FIG. 21.

FIGS. 23-25 are transverse cross-section views showing the incrementalinstallation of the lock into the wear assembly with a pry tool.

FIGS. 26-29 are transverse cross-sectional views showing the incrementalremoval of the lock from the wear assembly with a pry tool.

FIG. 30 is an enlarged, transverse cross-sectional view of the wearassembly with the lock in the hold position in the assembly.

FIG. 30 a is an enlarged, transverse cross-sectional view of the wearmember combined with the lock in the hold position.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of the wear member with the lock in therelease position.

FIG. 32 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view of the lock inthe release position.

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a wear assemblyin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 34 is an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 35 is a side view of the nose of the second embodiment.

FIG. 36 is a rear view of the wear member of the second embodiment.

FIG. 37 is a partial cross-sectional view taken vertically along thelongitudinal axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention pertains to a wear assembly 10 for releasablyattaching a wear member 12 to excavating equipment (not shown). In thisapplication, wear member 12 is described in terms of a point for anexcavating tooth that is attached to a lip of an excavating bucket.However, the wear member could be in the form of other kinds of wearparts (e.g., shrouds) or attached to other excavating equipment (e.g.,dredge cutterheads). Moreover, relative terms such as forward, rearward,up, down, horizontal or vertical are used for convenience of explanationwith reference to the orientation of the assembly in FIG. 1; otherorientations are possible.

In one embodiment (FIGS. 1-32), the wear member or point 12 is adaptedto fit on a nose 14. The nose is the front portion of a base 15 that isfixed to a bucket (not shown) or other equipment. The rear mountingportion 19 of base 15 can be fixed to the bucket in a number of commonways. In the illustrated example, base 15 includes a pair of rearwardlegs 21 (FIGS. 1-3) that extend over and are welded to the lip of abucket. Nevertheless, the base can include only one leg, be cast as partof the lip, or be mechanically fixed to the bucket lip, such as by aWhisler-style lock. When the base is secured to the lip by welding or alocking mechanism, the base is typically called an adapter. The base canalso consist of a plurality of interconnected adapters. Wear member 12is releasably secured to nose 14 by a lock 17.

Nose 14 includes a body 18 and a front end 20 (FIGS. 3-11). The frontend 20 preferably has a generally triangular shape with a horizontallower surface 22 and a pair of inclined surfaces 24 facing upward andoutward, collectively defining an inverted V-shape. The lower and uppersurfaces 22, 24 are front stabilizing surfaces that are substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis 26 of the nose. The term“substantially parallel” is intended to include parallel surfaces aswell as surfaces that diverge rearwardly from axis 26 at a small angle(e.g., of about 1-7 degrees) for manufacturing or other purposes. Asmall divergence may also ease removal of the wear member from the nose.In one preferred embodiment, each stabilizing surface 22, 24 divergesrearwardly at an angle of no more than about 5 degrees and mostpreferably about 2-3 degrees to axis 26.

It is common in digging operations for the teeth to be forced forwardand upward through the ground. As a result, the primary directions inwhich excavating teeth are commonly loaded are rearward and downward.Front face 27 of nose 14 abuts front surface 29 in socket 16 toprimarily resist rearward loads. Upper stabilizing surfaces 24 aresubstantially parallel to axis 26 to provide stable resistance todownwardly applied vertical loads on the front end of wear member 12.Also, due to irregularities in the ground, rocks, and other impediments,the teeth also tend to experience side loads as well as loads thatshift. Upper stabilizing surfaces 24 are inclined to resist bothdownward vertical loads and side loads. Loads that shift betweenvertical and side loads are also better resisted by the same uppersurfaces 24 to reduce shifting of wear member 12 on nose 14, and therebyreduce wearing of the components. The larger surface area provided byboth angled upper surfaces 24 as compared to lower surface 22 can alsoprovide a benefit in resisting the expected larger downward loads.

Since vertical loading is typically greater than side loading, uppersurfaces 24 are preferably more horizontal than vertical, i.e., at anangle θ between 0 and 45 degrees relative to lower surface 22, and mostpreferably at an angle θ of about 40 degrees (FIG. 9). Nevertheless,inclinations outside the preferred range are possible, particularly inlight duty operations or in environments where high side loading canoccur. Lower surface 22 is provided to resist upward vertical loading.

A triangularly-shaped front end (along with other parts of the nose)also ensures that wear member 12 will be mounted properly on the nose,i.e., the wear member cannot be mounted the wrong way on the nose.Moreover, since the wear member is not subject to reversible mounting,the nose and socket can be formed to optimize shape for a givenapplication. As example, the nose may be formed with a profile forgreater penetration, a shape that reduces the rate of wear on the wearmember, and an efficient construction to specially suit loads and wearpatterns expected in the desired digging operations.

In an effort to stabilize the mounting of the wear member, it has beenknown to form the front end of the nose and socket as matingparallelepipeds with rectangular shaped stabilizing surfaces. At times,the wear member can thin causing high stress which may lead to failureor wear through the wear member to expose the nose at the corners, whichin either case results in the wear member needing to be replaced beforethe bit portion 28 has worn away. Since downward loading is typicallygreater than upward loading and with the flow of earthen material intothe bucket, such break through usually occurs along the top of the wearmember. With an upward-pointing, triangularly-shaped front stabilizingend for nose 14, upper surfaces 24 are inclined downwardly, in a lateraldirection, to shift the upper front corners of the stabilization end toa central position (FIGS. 4, 5 and 9). This reduced profile at itslateral ends, in turn, reduces the wearing and stress on the upperlateral ends of the socket and nose compared to conventional teeth. As aresult, the usable lives of the wear member and the nose are increased.In addition, the triangular front end 20 of nose 14 defines a smallerprofile for better penetration into the ground. The use of inclinedsurfaces at the upper corners allows the wear member to be shaped suchthat more surface area is available to carry earthen materials into thebucket.

While front stabilizing end 20 preferably has a triangular shape formedby upper and lower surfaces 22, 24, other configurations with inclinedside surfaces can be used to reduce the lateral projection of the upperfront corners. In such a construction, the inclined sidewalls may definea generally trapezoidal shape. As another example, the upper corners maybe chamfered to shift the upper corners inward. The chamfers may be madeso as to eliminate the sidewalls and/or top walls or to connect the sideand top walls. In another example, although planar surfaces arepreferred, the inclined surfaces may be curved to define, for example, agenerally hemispherically shaped front end.

Moreover, a triangular shaped front end 20 or other front end shapeswith inclined sidewalls could be used in connection with other knownnose configurations. As an example only, such a front end could be usedas a stabilizing front end instead of the stabilizing front enddisclosed on the nose in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,043. In addition, the frontend could be reversed for digging operations where the loads and wearwould be expected to be along the bottom side as opposed to the top sideof the wear assembly.

Nose 14 is further defined in part by an upper wall 31 and a lower wall33 (FIGS. 3 and 10). Upper and lower walls 31, 33 converge toward frontthrust surface 27 to form the common wedge shape to provide a compromiseof strength and the ability to penetrate. However, unlike the commonnose formed with front stabilizing surfaces, the central portion 34 ofupper wall 31 continues to converge toward lower wall 33 through frontend 20 to the thrust surface 27 for a slimmer outer profile and enhancedpenetration without sacrificing stability. This continued tapering ofupper wall 31 through front end 20 and the accompanying slimming of thenose is possible because of the use of the inclined stabilizing surfaces24 to provide the stabilizing support.

As discussed above, upper wall 31 and a lower wall 33 that are eachinclined to diverge away from axis 26 in a rearward direction. To reduceobstructions and enhance flow of earthen material into the bucket, upperwall 31 has a more shallow inclination relative to axis 26 than lowerwall 33. Further, nose 14 transitions rearwardly from a relatively smallsized front end 20 with facets 22, 24 for high penetration and stabilityinto a larger sized rear end with increased facets for strength andsupport (FIGS. 3-11). In the illustrated embodiment, the nose changesfrom a generally triangular front end into a six-faceted body, which inturn transitions into an eight-faceted body at its rear end.

In a preferred construction, nose 14 transitions from a three orfour-faceted surface at the front end (depending on whether centralfacet 34 maintains a significant width in front end 20) into asix-faceted surface into body 18 for strength, stability and a slimmerprofile. Body 18 preferably comprises an upper central facet 34 and apair of inclined side facets 36, and a lower central facet 38 andinclined side facets 40 to present a strong profile. The use of centralfacets 34, 38 reduces the overall depth of the assembly to provide amore slender projection for better penetration. The top central facet 34is preferably flat in a transverse direction with a width that expandsrearwardly to ease the flow of earthen material into the bucket. Thelower central facet 38 is also generally flat in a transverse direction,but preferably has a narrowing width in a rearward direction. This isparticularly beneficial on account of the greater inclination of lowerside 33 as compared to upper side 31. While planar facets 34, 36, 38, 40are preferred, curved facets could also be used. Nevertheless, othershapes and arrangements where the nose changes from a relatively smallsized front end with a certain facets into a larger sized rear end withincreased facets are possible.

Lower side facets 40 are preferably substantially parallel to axis 26 todefine rear stabilizing surfaces (FIGS. 5, 7, 8 and 9). As with frontstabilizing surfaces 24, rear stabilizing surfaces 40 are laterallyinclined to resist both vertical and side loading. The inclination ofstabilizing surfaces 40 should be chosen as a balance betweenstabilizing the wear member under vertical loading and providing theassembly with sufficient overall strength. Accordingly, side facets 40are preferably inclined relative to central facet 38 at an angle φbetween 105 and 180 degrees, and most preferably at an angle of about128 degrees (FIG. 11). Nevertheless, stabilizing surfaces 40 could beinclined outside of the preferred range, particularly in light dutyoperations or those involving high side loading. The rearward narrowingof central facet 38 also maximizes the rearward expansion of stabilizingsurfaces 40 to provide greater surface area for resisting loads,particularly at the rear of nose 14.

In a preferred embodiment, body 25 transitions into an eight-facetedstructure at its rear end 41 (FIGS. 4, 5, 7 and 8). In the illustratedexample, nose 14 further includes a pair of opposite, verticallypositioned side surfaces 43 to reduce the profile of the nose for betterpenetration and to provide additional support to resist side loads. Theuse of a nose and socket which transitions through three phases, eachhaving more facets than the more forward phases (excluding surfacespertaining to the lock or those of ridges and grooves), provides anadvantageous combination of strength and slenderness for improvedoperation and penetration. In a preferred example, the first front phaseincludes four facets, the middle phase rearward of the front stabilizingend includes six facets, and the rear phase defines eight facetsrearward of the lock (though it could extend forward of the lock ifdesired). Alternatively, if facet 34 does not extend through the frontend 20, then the first phase would have three facets. In either case,the front end 20 is considered to be generally triangular.

Base 15 further includes supports 42 adjacent nose 14 for additionalstabilization of wear member 12 under upwardly directed loads (FIGS.4-9). In a preferred construction, supports 42 are substantiallyparallel to axis 26 and oriented generally in a horizontal orientation,though they could be laterally inclined to resist both vertical and sideloads. One support 42 sets to each side of nose 14 just below theintersection of facets 36, 40, although they could be at or just abovethe intersection. In this preferred construction, upper stabilizingsurfaces 42 are laterally offset from lower stabilizing surfaces 40.This offset, juxtaposed relationship of the lower and upper stabilizingsurfaces 40, 42 on base 15 enables the use of a more slender toothsystem than if upper facets 36 were designed to be stabilizing surfacesthat, for example, mirror lower facets 40. Since supports 42 providestabilization against upward loads, upper facets 36 are inclined in bothaxial and lateral directions, without defining stabilization surfacessubstantially parallel to axis 26. With this construction, side facets36 avoid extending farther upward and impeding the flow of earthenmaterial into the bucket. Nevertheless, facets 36 could be formed asstabilizing surfaces with or without supports 42, or other arrangementsof stabilizing surfaces could be used. Moreover, since supports 42 arepreferably structured to resist only vertical loading, a single supporton one side could be provided if desired.

Wear member 12 includes a bit 28 with a front digging edge 44 and amounting end 46 with a rearwardly-opening socket 16 (FIGS. 1-3 and12-17). Socket 16 is preferably formed to matingly receive nose 14,although differences between the nose and socket could exist.Accordingly, socket 16 preferably includes a generally triangular-shapedstabilizing front end 48 having a lower stabilizing surface 52 and apair of upper stabilizing surfaces 54 (FIG. 14). Stabilizing surfaces52, 54 are substantially parallel to axis 26. As with nose 14, socket 16transitions into a larger main portion 56 defined by an upper side 58and a lower side 60. Upper side 58 includes a top facet 64 and sidefacets 66 to correspond to facets 34, 36 on nose 14. Likewise, lowerside 60 includes a bottom facet 68 and side facets 70 to correspond tofacets 38, 40 on nose 14. Side facets 70 are also substantially parallelto longitudinal axis 26 to bear against side facets 40 under certainloads. Side surfaces 71 are also provided to bear against side surfaces43.

Mounting end 46 further includes shoulders 72 formed by an offsetportion 74 of upper side 58 that overhangs past the rear end of lowerside 60 (FIGS. 1, 2, 12 and 14-17). Shoulders 72 are substantiallyparallel to axis 26 and oriented generally horizontal to bear againstsupports 42. Shoulders 72 are integral with upper side 58 rather thanextending rearwardly like known cantilevered ears. This arrangement,then, as compared to cantilevered ears, provides shoulders 72 withgreater support and requires the use of less metal. Nevertheless, it ispossible to provide ears to bear against supports 42.

While any portion of the nose may at times bear loads from the wearmember, stabilizing surfaces 22, 24, 40, 42, 52, 54, 70, 72 are intendedto be the primary surfaces for resisting vertical and side loads thatare applied to the wear member. When loads having vertical componentsare applied along the digging edge 44 of wear member 12, the wear memberis urged to roll forward off the nose. For example, when a downward loadL1 is applied to the top of digging edge 44 (FIG. 1), wear member 12 isurged to roll forward on nose 14 such that front stabilizing surfaces 54in socket 16 bear against stabilizing surfaces 24 at the front end ofnose 14. The rear end 79 of lower side 60 of wear member 12 is alsodrawn upward against the lower side 33 of nose 14 such that rearstabilizing surfaces 70 in socket 16 bear against stabilizing surfaces40 of nose 14.

The engagement of stabilizing surfaces 40, 70 provides more stablesupport for the point as compared to the use of conventional convergingsurfaces, with less reliance on the lock. For instance, if load L1 isapplied to a tooth with a nose and socket defined by converging top andbottom walls without stabilizing surfaces 40, 70, the urge to roll thewear member off the nose is resisted in part by the abutting ofconverging walls at the rear ends of the nose and socket. Since theseconverging walls are axially inclined to the longitudinal axis, theirabutment with each other urges the point in a forward direction, whichmust be resisted by the lock. Accordingly, in such known constructions,a larger lock is needed to hold the point to the nose. A larger lock, inturn, requires larger openings in the nose and point, thus, reducing theoverall strength of the assembly. In the present invention, stabilizingsurfaces 40, 70 (in conjunction with stabilizing surfaces 24, 54) aresubstantially parallel to longitudinal axis 26 to minimize forwardurging of wear member 12. As a result, the wear member is stablysupported on the nose to increase the strength and stability of theassembly, reduce wear, and enable the use of smaller locks.

Stabilizing surfaces 22, 42, 52, 72 function in essentially the samemanner for upwardly-directed vertical loads. An upwardly directed loadL2 (FIG. 1) causes front stabilizing surface 52 of socket 16 to bearagainst stabilizing surface 22 on the front end of nose 14. The upwardrolling of wear member 12 on nose 14 is also resisted by shoulders 72bearing against supports 42 at the rear ends of wear member 12 and nose14. These stabilizing surfaces 22, 42, 52, 72 can have a smaller surfacethan stabilizing surfaces 40, 70 because the bulk of the loads areexpected to be rearward and downward.

As noted above, in the illustrated embodiment, stabilizing surfaces 24,40, 54, 70 are inclined in transverse directions. Preferably, theseangled stabilizing surfaces are symmetrical, although an asymmetricalarrangement is possible. The transverse inclination of stabilizingsurfaces 24, 40, 54, 70 enables them to resist side loads, such as loadL3 (FIG. 1). For example, the application of side load L3 causes wearmember 12 to laterally cant on nose 14. The front stabilizing surface 54on the side L3 is applied is pushed laterally inward to bear againstfront stabilizing surface 24 on nose 14. The rear portion 79 of facet 70on the opposite sidewall of socket 16 is drawn inward to bear againstthe corresponding facet 40. The opposite stabilizing surfaces 24, 54,40, 70 work in the same way for oppositely directed side loads.

It is advantageous for the same surfaces to resist both vertical andside loading. Loads are commonly applied in shifting directions as thebucket or other excavator is forced through the ground. With thelaterally inclined surfaces, the bearing engagement continues betweenthe same surfaces even if a load shifts, for example, from more of avertical load to more of a side load. With this arrangement, movement ofthe point and wearing of the components can be reduced. Stabilizingsurfaces 22, 42, 52, 72 are not inclined in the preferred embodimentbecause the bulk of the loads are expected to be rearward and downward,and the use of horizontal stabilizing surfaces in this direction enablesthe design of an assembly with less depth.

Stabilizing surfaces 22, 24, 40, 42, 52, 54, 70, 72 are preferablyplanar, but could have different shapes. For example, the stabilizingsurfaces could be formed with broad convex or concave curves. Inaddition, rear stabilizing surfaces 40, 70 are generally most effectivewhen located at or near the rear end of the nose and socket. Hence, inthe illustrated embodiment, the front portions of stabilizing surfaces40, 70 taper to a front point. Of course, the front portions could haveother narrowing shapes, non-converging shapes, or be eliminatedentirely. Further, bearing may occur on only one portion of any or allof the stabilizing surfaces.

In one construction, lock 17 fits into an opening in the form ofthrough-hole 81 defined in wear member 12 and a pocket or cavity 83defined in one side of nose 14 (FIGS. 1-2). Lock 17 is movable between ahold position (FIGS. 1, 2 and 30) where the lock 17 holds wear member 12to nose 14, and a release position (FIGS. 31 and 32) where wear member12 can be installed on or removed from nose 14.

Through-hole 81 preferably extends through a side facet 66 (FIGS. 1, 2and 12-16), but could be formed in other parts of the wear member.Through-hole 81 has a generally rectangular shape with two end walls 85,87, front wall 89 and rear wall 91, but could have other shapes. One endwall 85 defines a pivot member 93 in the form of a rounded bulb (FIG.16). The bulb 93 is preferably turned inward, toward nose 14, toalleviate the risk of wearing the bulb away. Bulb 93 defines an axisthat extends generally in a longitudinal direction relative to the wearassembly and is structured such that loading is minimized during use.The opposite end wall 87 defines a stop 95 in the form of a projectionextending generally toward end wall 85. Rear wall 91 preferably includesan expanded portion 91 a that extends into socket 16 to provide a largerbearing face for the lock and to move the bearing moment inward toreduce the tendency of the wear member 12 to cant on base 15 due to thelock securing only one side. Nose 14 includes recess 94 to accommodatethe presence of the inward extension of rear wall 91.

Lock 17 (FIGS. 18-22) includes a narrow end 103, a wide end 105, a frontface 107, and a rear face 109, though other shapes are possible. Narrowend 103 is formed as a pivot member 113, which preferably defines anarcuate recess to cooperate with bulb 93 on end wall 85 to enable thelock to pivotally swing between hold and release positions. Pivotmembers 93, 113 could be reversed so that the bulb is formed on lock 17and the recess on wear member 12, or have a different construction thatdefines the pivot axis. Wide end 105 includes a latch formation 115 thatcooperates with end wall 87 to retain lock 17 in hold and releasepositions. In addition, although pivot member 93 could be formed on endwall 87 and the latch formation 115 adapted to engage end wall 85, theyare preferably as illustrated to minimize obstructions with adjacentwear assemblies during installation or release.

In the illustrated embodiment, lock 17 is composed of a body 110, aresilient member 112 and a shield 114 all bonded or otherwise securedtogether. Body 110 defines latch formation 115 that engages end wall 87and stop 95. Shield 114 overlies resilient member 112 to engage bulb 93.Resilient member 112 provides lock 17 with a resilient compressibility.

Cavity 83 in nose 14 is preferably defined by base walls 129, 131collectively having a generally L-shaped configuration, a front wall133, and a rear wall 135 (FIGS. 4, 6, 7 and 8). Since cavity 83 does notextend through nose 14, it retains more of the nose strength. Base wall129 provides a platform against which lock 17 can set to preventexcessive insertion. Base wall 131 is preferably curved to follow thearcuate path of lock 17 when swung into the hold position.

Lock 17 fits into through-hole 81 such that pivot member 113 bearsagainst bulb 93 for pivotal movement of the lock between the holdposition and the release position (FIGS. 23-32). To secure a wear member12, lock 17 is swung about bulb 93 to fit fully within cavity 83. In thepreferred embodiment, a tool T is used to move the lock into the holdposition; i.e., tool T is placed into a slot 132 (FIGS. 12 and 13) inbulb 93 and used to pry lock 17 into the hold position (FIGS. 23-25).The tool is able to force fingers 116 past end wall 87 adjacent stop 95with the compression of resilient member 112. In this position, fingers116 opposes facet 66 in socket 16 to prevent movement of lock 17 awayfrom the hold position. As a result, end wall 87 operates as catch forlock 17. A separate structure to operate as a catch could be used but isnot necessary. While lock 17 preferably has two spaced apart fingers116, a single finger 116 could be used. A recess 134 is preferablyprovided in outer surface 125 of wear member 12 to accommodate thedesired movement of tool T. However, other prying arrangements could beused.

In the hold position, front face 107 of lock 17 opposes front wall 133of cavity 83, and rear face 108 of lock 17 opposes rear wall 91 ofthrough-hole 81. In this way, wear member 12 is securely held to base15. In the illustrated embodiment, latch formation 115 includes fingers116 that set behind facet 66 to prevent release of the lock from theassembly; resilient member 112 biases finger 116 behind facet 66 afterinsertion of lock 17 (although lock 17 is preferably not tight againstend wall 87). In this position, the outer face 123 of lock 17 isgenerally aligned with or slightly recessed relative to the outersurface 125 of wear member 12 (FIG. 30). In this way, the lock ispartially protected from wearing and forms no obstruction to the flow ofearthen material into the bucket.

Lock 17 further includes a recess 120 along wide end 105. Notch 120receives stop 95 to hold lock 17 in its release position (FIGS. 23, 31and 32); resilient member 112 releasably holds the lock in thisposition. A protrusion 120 a preferably extends outward at the distalend of recess 120 to prevent lock 17 from moving out of through-hole 81.In the preferred construction, lock 17 never needs to be removed fromthrough-hole 81 in wear member 12. Lock 17 is installed into wear member12 (in the release position) at the time of manufacture and shipped to acustomer (FIG. 30 a). The customer stores the wear member with the lockin it until needed for use. A depression 130 is preferably provided innose 14 to accommodate passage of lock 17 in its release position duringinstallation of the combined wear member and lock (FIGS. 4 and 7). Arelief 130 a is also preferable provided to permit passage of bulb 93during installation of point. Then, the lock is swung to its holdposition to secure wear member 12 to base 15 (FIG. 30). This arrangementreduces shipping and storage costs, virtually eliminates losing thelocks in storage or at the installation site in the field, and eases theinstallation process. Nevertheless, lock 17 could be completely removedfrom wear member 12 if desired for shipping, storage, replacement,installation and/or removal.

As noted above, lock 17 is placed in the hold position to secure wearmember 12 to base 15. Lock 17 is preferably shipped and/or stored incombination with wear member 12 in the release position without base 15.Lock 17 could be structured to store and/or ship in the hold position orsome rearward position if desired. Lock 17 preferably includes abutments128 that prevent lock 17 from falling through through-hole 81 and intosocket 16 when nose 14 is absent.

Lock 17 further includes notches 122, 124, 126 which are provided to aidremoval of lock 17 from the assembly (FIGS. 18 and 22). Specifically, atool T is used to engage notches 122, 124, 126 (FIGS. 26-29) as neededto pivot lock 17 from the hold position to the release position. Forexample, when releasing lock 17, the tool is initially placed in notch126 (FIG. 26) and moved using stop 95 as a fulcrum to bias lock 17toward bulb 93 against the bias of resilient member 112 (FIG. 27) and toswing lock 17 outward such that fingers 116 swing past end wall 87 andset outside of the through-hole 81 (FIG. 28). Then tool T is placedsuccessively within notches 124 and 122 to swing lock 17 to the releaseposition. The successive notches are for better leverage and ease ofuse.

In one construction, front and rear faces 107, 109 of lock 17 aregenerally parallel to the opposed front and rear walls 133, 135 ofpocket 83. In this way, a firm engagement can be had between the lockand the pocket. Nevertheless, in an alternative construction, faces 107and 109 of lock 17 converge toward inner side 149 to engage similarlyconverging walls 133, 135 of pocket 83. In this way, the lock can bemore easily inserted and removed from pocket 83 as the walls do notengage until fully positioned.

In an alternative embodiment, wear assembly 210 is shown as a tooth fora ripper machine (FIGS. 33-37). The wear assembly includes a wear member212 in the form of a point, a base 215 adapted to be fixed to a ripperarm, and a lock 217 to secure wear member 212 to base 215. Base 215includes a nose 214 which is received in socket 216 in wear member 212.The configurations of nose 214 and socket 216 are generally the same asnose 14 and socket 16 discussed above in regard to wear assembly 10.Nevertheless, there can be some changes, as illustrated, such as theomission of the formations related to the locking arrangement and theomission of side surfaces 43, 71. There can also be relative changes tothe dimensions of the various surfaces. Nose 214 and socket 216 eachincludes a generally triangular front end 220, which transitionsrearwardly into a six-faceted structure. In the illustrated example, thenose and socket do not later transition into an eight-faceted structureas in wear assembly 10 (though it could if desired).

In assembly 210, lock 217 includes a wedge 230 and a spool 231 such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,174,661, herein incorporated by reference.Wedge 230 has a conical shape and a thread formation in the form of ahelical groove 234 (FIGS. 34 and 37). Spool 231 includes a pair of arms236 and a body 238 interconnecting the arms. Body 238 defines a trough240 in which is received wedge 230. Trough 240 includes spaced helicalridges 242 for receipt within groove 234. In this way, wedge 230 isthreaded to spool 231 so that it can be drawn into the assembly byturning the wedge with a wrench or other tool.

Hole 283 extends horizontally through a mid-section of nose 214 toreceive lock 217 (FIG. 33), but could extend vertically or diagonally.Wear member 212 defines a pair of through-holes 281 which generallyalign with hole 283 when nose 214 is fully received into socket 216(FIGS. 33-37). Through-holes 281 and hole 283 collectively define anopening 285 to receive lock 217. Arms 236 abut against the rear ends 290of through-holes 281 while wedge 230 bears against the front wall 292 ofhole 283. Arms 236 each preferably includes a lip 294 to set within arelief 296 defined in wear member 212 to prevent inadvertent ejection oflock 217 during use (FIG. 37). As an alternative, lock 17 could bereversed such that the spool (without arms) engaged front wall 292 andthe wedge engaged rear ends 290.

In use, wear member 212 is placed over nose 214 so that through-holes281 generally align with hole 283 to collectively define opening 285.Lock 217 is placed into opening 285 with the arms 236 abutting againstrear ends 290 of through-holes 281 and wedge 230 being loosely receivedinto trough 240. Wedge 230 is rotated such that the receipt of ridges242 in helical groove 234 pulls the wedge farther into opening 285 untilthe lock has firmly secured wear member 212 to base 215.

The above-discussions concern the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention. Various other embodiments may be used or other changes madewithout departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the inventionas defined in the claims.

1-41. (canceled)
 42. A wear member for attachment to excavatingequipment comprising a socket with a longitudinal axis to receive a basefixed to the excavating equipment, a plurality of first stabilizingsurfaces, and a plurality of second stabilizing surfaces, and the firststabilizing surfaces facing generally downward and being located outsideof the socket, the second stabilizing surfaces facing generally upwardand being located within the socket, each of the first and secondstabilizing surfaces axially extending at an angle of no more than aboutseven degrees to the longitudinal axis to bear against a complementarysurface on the base.
 43. A wear member in accordance with claim 42wherein the second stabilizing surfaces are transversely angled relativeto each other.
 44. A wear member in accordance with claim 43 wherein thefirst stabilizing surfaces are generally coplanar with each other.
 45. Awear member in accordance with claim 44 wherein one of said firststabilizing surfaces is located along each side of the wear member. 46.A wear member in accordance with claim 42 further including an openingfor receiving a lock to releasably secure the wear member to the base.47. A wear member in accordance with claim 42 wherein the socketincludes a front portion with a plurality of front stabilizing surfaceseach axially extending at an angle of no more than about seven degreesto the longitudinal axis, one of the front stabilizing surfaces is agenerally horizontal lower surface extending laterally across the widthof the front portion, and two other of the front stabilizing surfacesincludes a pair of upper surfaces transversely angled to each other. 48.A wear member in accordance with claim 42 wherein the socket includes afront portion forward of the first and second stabilizing surfaces, thefront portion having upper and lower front stabilizing surfaces eachaxially extending at an angle of no more than about seven degrees to thelongitudinal axis to bear against complementary surfaces on the base.49. A wear member in accordance with claim 42 including a top wall, abottom wall and side walls, wherein the top wall and adjacent portionsof the side walls define a top portion of the wear member that overlapsand extends generally from one first stabilizing surface to the otherfirst stabilizing surface.
 50. A wear member in accordance with claim42, which includes a mounting end that defines the socket, wherein themounting end has an opening that communicates with the socket, and alock secured in the opening for movement between a hold position wherethe lock projects into the socket to retain the wear member to the base,and a release position where the lock is retracted relative to the holdposition so that the wear member can be released from the base.
 51. Awear member in accordance with claim 42 wherein each of the first andsecond stabilizing surfaces axially extends at an angle of no more thanfive degrees to the longitudinal axis.
 52. A wear member for attachmentto excavating equipment comprising a socket to receive a base fixed tothe excavating equipment, the socket having a front portion, a rearportion and a longitudinal axis, the front portion of the socketincluding a plurality of front stabilizing surfaces, the rear portion ofthe socket including a plurality of rear stabilizing surfaces, each ofthe front and rear stabilizing surfaces axially extending at an angle ofno more than about seven degrees to the longitudinal axis to bearagainst a complementary surface on the base, wherein two of said frontstabilizing surfaces face downward and are transversely angled to eachother to resist both vertical and horizontal loading, two of said rearstabilizing surfaces face upward and are transversely angled to eachother to resist both vertical and horizontal loading.
 53. A wear memberin accordance with claim 52 including an opening for receiving a lock toreleasably secure the wear member to the base.
 54. A wear member inaccordance with claim 52 wherein an opening passes through a wallportion to communicate with the socket, and a lock is secured in theopening for movement between a hold position where the lock projectsinto the socket to retain the wear member to the base, and a releaseposition where the lock is retracted from the hold position so that thewear member can be released from the base.
 55. A wear member inaccordance with claim 52 wherein each of the front and rear stabilizingsurfaces axially extends at an angle of no more than five degrees to thelongitudinal axis.
 56. A wear member for attachment to excavatingequipment comprising a socket to receive a base fixed to the excavatingequipment, the socket being defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, sidewalls extending between the top and bottom walls, and a top portiondefined by the top wall and adjacent portions of each of the side walls,the top portion defining a pair of downward-facing shoulders along eachside wall to bear against complementary surfaces on the base overlappingand extending laterally from one said shoulder to the other saidshoulder to provide support for the shoulders.
 57. A wear member inaccordance with claim 56 wherein the socket has a longitudinal axis, andwherein the shoulders each axially extend at an angle of no more thanabout seven degrees to the longitudinal axis.
 58. A wear member inaccordance with claim 57 wherein each of the shoulders axially extendsat an angle of no more than five degrees to the longitudinal axis.
 59. Awear member in accordance with claim 57 wherein the socket includesfront stabilizing surfaces at a front end of the socket and rearstabilizing surfaces at a rear end of the socket, and the first and rearstabilizing surfaces bear against complementary surfaces on the base,and each of the stabilizing surfaces axially extend at an angle of nomore than about seven degrees to the longitudinal axis.
 60. A wearmember in accordance with claim 59 wherein each of the front and rearstabilizing surfaces axially extends at an angle of no more than fivedegrees to the longitudinal axis.
 61. A wear member in accordance withclaim 56 including an opening for receiving a lock to releasably securethe wear member to the base.
 62. A wear member in accordance with claim61 wherein the opening communicates with the socket and has a locksecured therein for movement between a hold position where the lockprojects into the socket to retain the wear member to the base, and arelease position where the lock is retracted from the hold position sothat the wear member can be released from the base.
 63. A wear memberfor attachment to excavating equipment comprising a front end, a rearend, a top side, a bottom side, a socket open in the rear end to receivea base fixed to the excavating equipment, the socket having a frontportion, a rear portion and a longitudinal axis, the front portionincluding a first upward-facing front stabilizing surface extendinglaterally across the front portion, and a pair of second downward-facingfront stabilizing surfaces facing generally toward the first frontstabilizing surface, the second front stabilizing surfaces being onopposite sides of the socket and inclined in opposite directionstransversely to the longitudinal axis to reduce the outward lateralextension of outer corners of the socket in the front portion along thetop side, and each of the first and second front stabilizing surfacesaxially extending at an angle of no more than about seven degrees to thelongitudinal axis.
 64. A wear member in accordance with claim 63 whereinthe first and second, front stabilizing surfaces are each generallyplanar.
 65. A wear member in accordance with claim 63 including anopening for receiving a lock to releasably secure the wear member to thebase.
 66. A wear member in accordance with claim 65 wherein the openingcommunicates with the socket and has a lock secured therein for movementbetween a hold position where the lock projects into the socket toretain the wear member to the base, and a release position where thelock is retracted from the hold position so that the wear member can bereleased from the base.
 67. A wear member in accordance with claim 63wherein each of the first and second front stabilizing surfaces axiallyextends at an angle of no more than five degrees to the longitudinalaxis.
 68. A wear member for attachment to excavating equipmentcomprising a mounting end, including: a socket having a longitudinalaxis, the socket including a front portion having a plurality of frontstabilizing surfaces and a front thrust face, and a rear portionrearward of the front portion, the rear portion having a plurality ofrear stabilizing surfaces, the front and rear stabilizing surfaces andthe front thrust face bear against complementary surfaces on the base,each of the front and rear stabilizing surfaces axially extending at anangle of no more than about seven degrees to the longitudinal axis, anda plurality of each of the front and rear stabilizing surfaces beingtransversely inclined to resist both vertical and side loading; athrough-hole communicating with the socket; and a lock secured in thethrough-hole for movement between a hold position where the lock cansecure the wear member to the base, and a release position where thelock permits release of the wear member from the base, the lock beingheld in the through-hole in where the hold position and the releaseposition regardless of whether the base is received into the socket. 69.A wear member in accordance with claim 68 wherein each of the front andrear stabilizing surfaces axially extends at an angle of no more thanfive degrees in the longitudinal axis.
 70. A wear member for attachmentto excavating equipment comprising a mounting end including: a socketdefined by a top wall, a bottom wall and side walls extending betweenthe top and bottom walls, the socket having a longitudinal axis, a frontportion having a plurality of front stabilizing surfaces and a frontthrust face, and a rear portion rearward of the front portion, the rearportion having a plurality of rear stabilizing surfaces, the front andrear stabilizing surfaces and the front thrust face bear againstcomplementary surfaces on the base, each of the front and rearstabilizing surfaces axially extending at an angle of no more than aboutseven degrees to the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of each of thefront and rear stabilizing surfaces being transversely inclined toresist both vertical and side loading, a plurality of outer stabilizingsurfaces outside of the socket to bear against complementary surfaces onthe base, each of the outer stabilizing surfaces axially extending at anangle of no more than about seven degrees to the longitudinal axis, atop side including a top wall and upper portions of the side walls, thetop side overlapping with and extending from one of the outerstabilizing surfaces to the other of the outer stabilizing surfaces tosupport loads resisted by the outer stabilizing surfaces, a through-holecommunicating with the socket, and a lock secured in the through-holefor movement between a hold position where the lock can secure the wearmember to the base, and a release position where the lock permitsrelease of the wear member from the base, the lock being held in thethrough-hole in the hold position and the release position regardless ofwhether the base is received into the socket.